


Fly Away With Me

by Musetotheworld



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Soldier AU, outer space au, this probably needed another five chapters of worldbuilding but that's how my AUs get me in trouble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 21:35:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17149496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musetotheworld/pseuds/Musetotheworld
Summary: To the very ends of the galaxy.





	Fly Away With Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GeoFender](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeoFender/gifts).



Alex settles into her cot as the camp settles around her, grateful for the recent promotion that affords her a little more privacy than the usual soldier. She could handle herself out with the others but it was always nice to have a reprieve. Now she only had to share with one other person, and she didn't mind their company. She also didn't have to be on guard at every moment, wary of her secret being discovered.

That was probably the thing that brought the most peace, having a space where she didn't have to pretend. Having a space with someone who understood. Two years into a five year contract and Alex finally had that back.

Astra probably should have been promoted up further than this by now, but for some reason she seemed content to settle at a sergeant rank rather than pushing for an officer's commission. Alex was certain she could have that easily if she just played a bit of politics with the ranking officers. But Astra wasn't interested.

Not that Alex minded much, if Astra was a Lieutenant or even Captain then their current situation would never happen. And Alex would have to keep her guard up at all times, even in her quarters.

She'd done that for two years plus training so she knew it was possible. Just not preferable. Not when the current setup worked much better.

She's nearly asleep when Astra returns, carrying a bowl of stew. "You were absent from the meal," she says as explanation, setting the food on their shared table. "I brought you something."

Shaking off her exhaustion Alex pulls herself into a sitting position. It's better to give in rather than argue, when Astra puts her mind to something there's no changing it. Alex remember that very, very clearly from their training. Records were broken, expectations exceeded, all because Astra refused to yield when everything said she should.

Alex was the same way, when she could. They were a pair, the two of them, and everyone knew it. On patrols they were assigned to the same teams, guard duty had them at the same post, they even shipped out together when their group finished training. Until Astra got her promotion a full five months before Alex they'd been inseparable.

"Thanks," she says before digging in, not wanting to say more. It'd been a rough day and all Alex wants to do is crawl back in bed for a bit, ignore the world. At least until tomorrow when they have to report back for duty.

Maybe she should put in for a weekend leave, not that any of those are being approved these days.

"Corporal Gand appeared upset when I passed him," Astra says into the silence. She's always had a habit of pushing when Alex wishes she wouldn't. It always turns out for the best, but damn if Alex doesn't wish just once she could just ignore her problems.

"Yeah, he was mouthing off during drill and I gave him a week of sentry duty." It's nothing out of the ordinary, even if Alex knows none of the other sergeants would have disciplined him this time. Not when they all believed what he was saying.

"You must be careful, Alex," Astra says, voice dropping as she leans closer. Their tent is shielded from all forms of electronic eavesdropping, but that wouldn't stop someone standing outside the flap listening carefully. "If anyone has reason to suspect you are not what you seem, or that your beliefs are too far beyond the common thought, the truth could be exposed. Neither of us wishes for this to happen, so you must not give them reason to look closely."

Alex knows that, she does. Two years of lying to everyone around her, the lessons have sunk in by now. Enough that she sometimes forgets the truth. Only these moments with Astra, the moments she doesn't have to pretend, keep her from forgetting entirely.

There's silence while she finishes the stew, Astra apparently feeling she's pushed enough for now. Trusting that Alex will respond. After all, this is a familiar dance for them. Every few months Alex's control or temper starts to slip and Astra will pull her back. It's the way things go.

"He kept talking about how unfit women are for combat or leadership," Alex admits once she's done, voice low enough that Astra has to lean closer to hear. "Said no woman could ever learn how to fire a gun, let alone everything else needed to be a soldier. Or a politician, or a doctor, or any other fucking job that requires a functioning brain."

Alex knows he isn't alone in his belief, it's far too common in this sector of the galaxy. That's why she'd enlisted under a fake identity, why she'd cut her hair and bound her breasts to pass as male. There was respect to be had as a soldier and she wanted it. Then she'd trade on the respect and any favors she could gain and finally have enough to leave this sector for good.

She missed the yellow sun of Earth, missed her family. She couldn't remember their faces clearly now, not after twenty years out here in space. She'd been a child when they took her, but she'd never stopped fighting to go back.

Astra's story is different, but Alex isn't sure what it is. All she knows is they're in the same boat. They'd found each other in training, each spotting something in the other that spoke to the truth. That's why they'd stuck together, watching each other's back and keeping anyone from suspecting the truth. They kept watch while one bathed, helped cover any slips, Astra even had a contact that helped with medications and prosthetics to help keep their covers.

Beyond that, the woman is a mystery. Where she comes from, why she's here, Alex has no idea. She'd trust Astra with her life, has several times already, but before training is a blank.

"He is incorrect in many of his assumptions," Astra says calmly, placing a careful hand on Alex's thigh for a moment before leaning back. "But his words are only a repetition of what he has been taught. Punishing him for them will attract attention, and he already resents your promotion."

Resents is a strange way to put it, but Alex knows what Astra means. He'd been in line for the promotion for months now and Alex had stolen it out from underneath him when she saved an entire company from being flanked when she noticed the enemy circling around. Resentment was the kindest of the emotions he likely felt. And when someone hated you that much, they watched for any chance to bring you down.

"I know, I just..."

And that was the crux of it, really. There wasn't anything they could do, no grand gesture that would magically change the minds of every leader in this sector of the galaxy. No words that could change an entire culture. The idea was too firmly entrenched to fight head on, and neither woman had the patience or resources for a longer fight. Not when they both wanted out.

Or at least Alex did. Astra never said. Any time the topic came up in conversation Astra would listen patiently to whatever future Alex described, but she never offered a future of her own. Maybe she just wanted to fight, Alex didn't know.

She didn't think that was the case, though. She couldn't explain why if asked but she had the feeling Astra wanted more than this life. She didn't fight like someone enraptured by warfare, and she didn't climb the ranks like someone who wanted to make a real career out of the military. She just...fought. Trained. Led her troops. Ate and slept and fought some more.

Sometimes, in the darkest of nights when Alex was certain everyone else in the camp was asleep, she dared to hope that maybe the more Astra wanted would include her. It was probably no more than a hopeless dream, but Alex couldn't make it go away.

At first she'd thought it was just a natural reaction to the first person since she was a child that looked at her like she was worth something. But by the time they finished training and joined the main army Alex knew it was more than that. It had to be. The feeling was too strong, ran too deep, to be anything less than real. And that terrified her more than any number of enemy troops.

"I'll keep it under control," she says instead of whatever she'd wanted to say. "He did speak out of turn so I'll let the punishment stand, but I'll be careful not to call him out again."

Astra nods before standing and moving to settle into her bed, loosening the fit of the binding garment that they both wore at all times these days. It was one of the best things Astra had gotten from her contact, and Alex couldn't imagine going back to their old methods. These fit like a second skin, and were designed to contract or expand automatically as needed. They could be loosened for sleep, and if anyone burst into their tent without warning a simple press to the side seam would return the compressing properties in a split second. Far safer than wrappings or any other method, and less likely to be spotted by an unfortunate bunching of fabric.

Tonight is one of the nights Alex falls asleep wishing she weren't alone in her cot, the longing spurred on by the earlier fleeting touch of Astra's hand on her thigh. She wants more, but at least she has this.

***

"Sergeant In-Ze, Sergeant Danvers, report to the Major's office."

Alex freezes as she hears the order over the base speakers, trying to keep the panic from her face. They've been so careful, there's no way anyone suspects, right? They haven't done anything out of the ordinary, even the disciplining of Corporal Gand was two months ago. Alex has been a model soldier and commander, and Astra has been her usual infallible self.

"Ah good, you're here," the Major says as they're shown in, a smile on his face that has Alex relaxing the slightest bit. Maybe it's not bad news, then. "I appreciate how punctual the two of you are, wish the rest of my sergeants were the same way. Hell, even some of my officers. But that's beside the point. I've got a mission for you two."

"Sir?" Alex risks asking, knowing this officer at least is happy hearing from the noncommissioned troops. "What sort of mission will this be?"

"Good question, Sergeant. Reconnaissance, mostly. Maybe a covert infiltration or two, but the likelihood of that is fairly low given you'll be the only crew. Sneakier that way, and who better than my two best men?"

Alex nods, further relaxing as nothing bad happens. If they'd been caught surely the Major wouldn't be going through this charade just to get rid of them. Not when there'd be any number of volunteers ready to slap cuffs on them and toss them in jail. Or get rid of them in a far more permanent manner, if it came to that. He wouldn't send them on a mission just to kill them, not when it would be far easier in camp with hundreds of troops at his command. They're good, but they aren't hold off entire companies good.

"Where will be be surveilling?" Astra chimes in, turning to study the sector map on the Major's wall. The war has stretched across most of the space, neither side gaining an upper hand or losing ground as additional systems are pulled into the fight. That's probably why two relatively low ranking soldiers are being sent out. They're good enough to actually find potential weaknesses, but not important enough that risking them is unacceptable.

Alex tunes out a little as he answers and explains, mind suddenly focusing on the fact they're being given a ship and sent off away from all sector oversight. A fast ship, no doubt, and one outfitted for an extended amount of travel. This could be exactly the break she's been looking for, if Astra is willing to go along with it.

God, she can't even imagine what she'll do if Astra won't go along with her. Give up on the thought? The thought is painful, but not as painful as causing Astra to hate her. Or worse, try to stop her. She couldn't handle that.

She finally focuses back in when the Major stands, offering his hand to them each in turn. "Good luck to you both, and I'll be honest with you here. If you bring back some good information there's a fair chance of promotions in your future. Lieutenant ranking at least, if not straight to Captain. We can always use good soldiers like you two in the ranks. So go get me those results."

A dozen responses rush through Alex's mind in the time it takes her to stand and return the handshake, but she holds them back. They wouldn't do any good, only get them both killed or imprisoned. For all the reasonable ideas the Major has, the thought of female officers would be beyond what he could accept or imagine, and Alex knows that.

They're barely back in the tent when Alex breaks. She can't wait until they're on the ship for an answer, she needs to know now whether Astra will go with her.

"Astra-"

"Yes."

Thrown by the interruption, Alex has to stop and blink for a moment before she can continue. "Yes?"

"Yes, Alex. Yes I am willing to follow wherever this mission takes us." There's a code in her words, an urging for caution while within the camp that Alex is well familiar with. But beyond that, there's an agreement and understanding.

When they board the scout ship, when they leave this planet without supervision or oversight, Astra will follow her. Maybe even all the way to Earth.

The sudden hope is overwhelming, bubbling within Alex's chest and struggling to be freed. She can't sit still, pacing the small free space in their tent trying to excise the energy but not having much luck. By this time next week she could be free. They could be free.

As that thought hits her Alex does the only thing she can think of and sweeps Astra into her arms, lips hesitating a bare inch apart as she waits for Astra to adjust after the sudden change in proximity. But Astra doesn't need a moment, not when she closes the distance between them herself to press their lips together.

"Fly away with me," Alex whispers as the kiss breaks, their eyes still closed as they bask in the lingering feeling of that kiss. "Fly away with me, Astra."

"To the very end of the galaxy."


End file.
